Introduction

Duncan Alexander
Croall Scott-Ford was born on 4 September 1921, as Duncan Alexander Croall
Smith, in a house in Clyde Street, Devonport. His Father, Duncan Scott
Smith, was a sick bay attendant in the Royal Navy. His Mother was Mary
Isabella Ferrett Croall. She registered her sons birth on 28 September
1921. When their son was 6 years old, the family moved to Pym Street,
Plymouth.

On 18 March
1933, Scott-Fords Father attempted suicide by injecting himself
with morphia taken from his workplace. He was found collapsed in Devonport
Park. He was taken to the Royal Naval Hospital at Plymouth. Due to his
exposure, and the weakness caused by the injection, he developed Broncho-Pneumonia
in both his lungs. Six days later, on 23 March 1933, Scott-Fords
Father died at the hospital aged 31 years old. At this time, Scott-Ford
would have been 11 years old.

Following
his Fathers death, Scott-Ford was moved from Morice Town County
School in Devonport, to Greenwich Naval Training School.

Joins the
Royal Navy

In December
1936, Scott-Ford joined HMS Impregnable at Devonport to undergo training
for the Royal Navy. Just after his sixteenth birthday in September 1937,
Scott-Ford joined the Royal Navy and was posted to HMS Cromwell. In June
1939, he was transferred to HMS Gloucester as a Boy Seaman 1st
Class. The Gloucester was commissioned to the East Indies Station for
two years, and in June 1939, Scott-Ford was promoted from Boy Seaman to
Writer due to his educational improvement.

In June 1939,
HMS Gloucester spent ten days at Dar-es-Salaam to show the flag. During
the ships stay, Scott-Ford met a 17 year old German girl called
Ingeberg Richeter, who was the daughter of the manager of a local German
firm.

Scott-Ford
paid frequent visits to her home, and they became very intimate. They
agreed to correspond, despite her Father probably not approving of the
relationship. They exchanged three letters, before the fourth was returned
as the family had returned to Germany.

HMS Gloucester
(a cruiser which sank in The Aegean Sea on 22 May 1941) arrived in Alexandria
the day that Italy entered the war. While in Cairo, Scott-Ford visited
an Egyptian prostitute five times, which was proving a drain on his financial
resources. He twice altered his Post Office Savings book, and withdrew
money over the amounts he had in his account.

Scott-Ford
was arrested for this crime in January 1941, and apparently confessed
these two counts. He was detained under close arrest on HMS Medway until
his courts-martial on 3 March 1941. Scott-Ford was sentenced to 2 years
imprisonment, and a dishonourable discharge from the Royal Navy.

Dismissed
from Royal Navy

Scott-Ford
arrived back in England on 7 May 1941. He was then sent to Winchester
Prison to serve his sentence. While at Winchester Prison, Scott-Ford was
informed that his Mother has asked the Admiralty for a review of his courts-martial
sentence. His Mother later claimed that she had re-paid the money taken
by her son. In the event, the sentence was reduced to 6 months hard
labour with a honourable dismissal from the Royal Navy.

When Scott-Ford
was released from prison in July 1941, he initially moved in with his
Mother and Step-Father who were living in Bannockburn Street, Greenock.
It was during this period that Scott-Ford had a bitter quarrel with his
Mother. Scott-Ford told her that he had learnt from a neighbour, that
she had been spending the allotment money he had received from the Royal
Navy on a renovated fur coat for his cousin and a new fur coat for herself.
Scott-Ford also accused her of blackening his late Fathers memory.

Four weeks
after his release from Winchester Prison, his papers arrived from the
Admiralty, and Scott-Ford left his Mother and Step-Father and moved to
a house in Union Street, Greenock.

Joins the
Merchant Navy

After several
unsuccessful attempts, Scott-Ford signed on the SS Almenara. Two days
later, on 13 September 1941, the ship left Greenock for Trinidad, Barbados,
St. Lucia, Georgetown, Newport (Virginia) and Halifax. The SS Almenara
returned to Greenock on 23 January 1942. After being paid off from this
voyage, Scott-Ford mainly ate in restaurants and slept in a lodging house
in West Blackhall Street, which was next to the McAndrews Fisheries. He
also spent a short period with his Uncle in East Hough, Perthshire.

Scott-Ford
reported to the Seamens Pool at Greenock on 5 February 1942. Fours
days later, he signed on the SS Finland as an able-bodied seaman. The
Finland sailed the following day for Gibraltar and Valencia, returning
to Liverpool on 25 March 1942. Scott-Ford spent the next few days living
and working on the ship.

On 11 April
1942, the Finland sailed from Liverpool to Lisbon, arriving at Lisbon
on Sunday 10 May 1942. Four days later (Thursday), Scott-Ford paid his
first visit ashore in Lisbon. Together with a ship-mate, they spent the
night with two ladies they had picked up at a local cafe. The following
morning, Scott-Fords ship-mate returned to the Finland. Scott-Ford
stayed with his lady for two days, returning to his ship at 5pm on the
Saturday evening.

Scott-Ford
changed into clean clothes and returned ashore, to stay with his lady
friend, until 7am the following Monday morning. He also spent his nights
(6am to 6pm) with this lady until the following Saturday, the 23 May 1942.
At 10pm on 16 May 1942, Scott-Ford left this ladys house and went
to a nearby bar.

Contacted
by emeny agents

After about
twenty minutes of drinking alone, a man walked in and sat on the next
stool to Scott-Ford. A short time later, he started talking to Scott-Ford
in English, and offered to buy him a drink. Although he had already had
a few drinks, Scott-Ford started to drink with him.

This stranger
told Scott-Ford he had been a sea captain for seven years. They then discussed
their respective sea-going experiences. During this discussion, Scott-Ford
mentioned that he had struck up a correspondence with a German girl he
had met in Dar-es-Salaam in 1939. When the stranger asked if they had
continued with their correspondence, Scott-Ford replied that it had been
broken off by the start of the war. When the stranger asked who he was,
Scott-Ford replied that he was a British Seaman on the SS Finland.

The stranger
then offered Scott-Ford 1,000 Escudos if he could confirm a rumour that
all British ships had to be in British ports on 28 June 1942. He also
said that he would arrange for Scott-Ford to resume his correspondence
with Ingeberg Richeter. When Scott-Ford asked how he could arrange this,
the stranger told him that he was German. Scott-Ford said that he would
attempt to find out about the rumour. The stranger and Scott-Ford then
arranged to met at midday the following day (17 May 1942). Once these
arrangements had been finalised, they had another drink. The stranger
then left Scott-Ford, and met up with his companion. Scott-Ford left the
bar alone, arriving back at his ladys house at 12.30am the following
morning.

Scott-Ford
got up at the following morning, Sunday 17 May 1942, and took a taxi to
keep his appointment with the German stranger. When he met the stranger,
who settled his taxi fare, they both took another taxi for about 1 miles.
They left the taxi, and walked off the road to a small rock ledge. The
stranger that Scott-Ford had met the previous night introduced himself
as Rithman. The second man with the German introduced himself as Captain
Henley, and appeared to Scott-Ford as the more senior of the two men.

Captain Henley
then questioned Scott-Ford about the rumour concerning British shipping
and the date of 28 June 1942. Scott-Ford replied that he had not been
able to find out any information about this date. The German agents and
Scott-Ford then discussed several topics: air raid damage back home in
Britain, the British peoples morale and their thoughts about Winston
Churchill. Captain Henley and Scott-Ford then arranged another meeting
for 10pm, Thursday 21 May 1942, outside the building of Vaultiers and
Co., where Scott-Ford would be collected by a car. Scott-Ford then accepted
a 1,000 Escudos note which Henley offered him.

On Thursday
21 May 1942, Scott-Ford kept the arranged meeting. He was driven around
to confuse him, before arriving at a building with "Agency Krupps"
written above the door. Scott-Ford was taken inside, and eventually Henley
and Rithman arrived. They gave Scott-Ford several drinks, before Henley
staring asking questions. He asked Scott-Ford about ship-building in Britain,
and the arrival of American servicemen. When asked by Henley, Scott-Ford
confirmed that his ship had come directly from Britain to Lisbon.

Scott-Ford
blackmailed

Henley then
said that he would pay Scott-Ford a large sum of money for charts showing
the British mine-fields. Scott-Ford replied that he did not have access
to these charts. Henley also asked Scott-Ford for the latest copies of
"Janes Fighting Ships" and "Janes Aircraft".
Before Scott-Ford left, Henley asked him for a receipt for the 1,000 Escudos
he had given Scott-Ford the previous day. Scott-Ford rather foolishly
wrote and signed the receipt "Duncan Scott-Ford". Henley and
Scott-Ford then arranged a meeting for 11am on Sunday 24 May 1942. The
meeting was arranged for a wine shop in Lisbon.

When they
arrived at this wine shop, Scott-Ford and Henley went through to the back
of the shop, and upstairs to a room above the shop. Henley asked Scott-Ford
if he could find more information about American troops in Britain. Henley
also wanted to find out about three new battleships which were supposed
to being built in Britain. Scott-Ford said that he would try to find out
the requested information, and Henley gave Scott-Ford another 200 Escudos.

This was
the last meeting that Scott-Ford has on this trip, as the SS Finland left
Lisbon later on 24 May 1942, arriving at Liverpool on 20 June 1942. On
the following day, 21 June 1942, the crew of the SS Finland, including
Scott-Ford, were interrogated by Field Security Wing Officers of the Intelligence
Corps, to find out if any of the crew members had been approached by German
agents in Lisbon. Scott-Ford admitted that he had been approached, but
that he had declined all their offers.

Scott-Ford
stayed on the SS Finland working, spending his nights ashore with a lady
in a Liverpool hotel.

At the start
of July 1942, Scott-Ford sailed on what was to prove his last trip, arriving
in Lisbon on 26 July 1942.

Scott-Ford
went ashore during the evening of the following day (Monday) with a ship-mate.
Scott-Ford picked up a lady at a cafe, and spent the night with her. He
eventually returned to the Finland four hours late, which caused
his shore leave to be stopped.

Scott-Ford
next went ashore on Saturday 1 August 1942. He met the Portuguese agent
who had accompanied Henley on their second meeting back in May. The Portuguese
agent arranged with Scott-Ford a meeting for 10pm that evening. Scott-Ford
was met at the arranged time by a car, and taken to the "Agency Krupp"
building again. Henley was in the office with another German that Scott-Ford
had not seen before.

Henley gave
Scott-Ford another 500 Escudos for his future expenses, and Scott-Ford
provided Henley with another signed receipt. Henley then asked Scott-Ford
for the two Janes books he had requested Scott-Ford to obtain. When
Scott-Ford replied that he had been unable to obtain them, Henley threatened
to send Scott-Fords signed receipts to the British Consul in Lisbon.

Scott-Ford
was then asked about the attacks on his last homeward convoy, the convoys
escort and air-cover. Scott-Ford replied that the convoy had been escorted
by five Royal Navy ships and had an air escort provided. Despite this
protection, the convoy had lost five ships torpedoed on 14/15 April 1942.
Henley then asked Scott-Ford about aircraft factories, Scott-Ford replying
that he only knew about the factory at Speke Airfield, near Liverpool.
Henley then went on to ask Scott-Ford about the training of invasion troops
for the Allied landing in France. Scott-Ford mentioned that he had overheard
Royal Marines in Greenock discussing a recently completed exercise.

Henley then
said that he wanted more information about British convoys including their
courses, speeds, distances and the escort details. He also reminded Scott-Ford
of his serious threat to hand his signed receipts over to the British
Consul. He then gave Scott-Ford another 100 Escudos.

Scott-Ford
left Lisbon for the last time on 7 August 1942, sailing as a Helmsman
on the SS Finland. While on the ship, Scott-Ford kept very brief notes
about the convoys course and escort details on small pieces of paper,
which he then wrote up when he was off duty.

Scott-Ford
arrested in UK

Scott-Ford
returned to Salford Docks on 18 August 1942. He was again asked if he
had been approached by any German agents in Lisbon. Scott-Ford gave a
description of a man who had just asked him questions about the effects
of communism in Britain. The following day, Scott-Ford was asked again
about approaches by German agents in Lisbon. At this point, Scott-Ford
admitted all the approaches made by Henley and the other German agents.
He also admitted being given the money, a total of 1,600 Escudos or £18
in 1942 money, and that Henley held signed receipts for the money.

Scott-Ford
was then detained on the SS Finland by Sergeant John Hacknay, who was
a Field Security Officer, Intelligence Corps. Sergeant Hacknay then escorted
Scott-Ford to the Security Office at Salford Docks. At 5.30pm that evening,
Sergeant Hacknay together with Scott-Ford went to Salford Police Station.
When they arrived, Scott-Ford was informed by Detective-Sergeant John
Brown (Salford City Police) that he was being detained under the Defence
Regulations Act 1939. Detective William Cunliffe and Detective-Sergeant
John Brown then examined Scott-Fords wallet, and found the pieces
of paper with the convoys details written on them. The following
day, Detective Cunliffe and Detective-Sergeant Brown search Scott-Fords
apartment on the SS Finland.

On 20 August
1942, the Regional Commissioner for the North Eastern Region make an order
under Defence Regulation 18B, and Scott-Ford was transferred to Brixton
Prison in London. The 18B was signed by Herbert Morrison, the Home Secretary,
on 24 August 1942. This order was served on Scott-Ford by Inspector Coverney
and Sergeant Pennell, both Special Branch officers, at Oratory Central
Schools, Stewart Grove, London SW2. This was while Scott-Ford was undergoing
further questioning about his spying activities.

Charged
under Treachery Act 1940

The authorities
then decided that detention under Defence Regulation 18B was not sufficient.
On 30 September 1942, Scott-Ford was taken to Bow Street Magistrates Court
where he was charged with one offence under Section 1 of The Treachery
Act 1940: "On the British ship SS Finland, with intent to help the
enemy, did an act between 7-9 August 1942, that is, he did record information
relating to the movements and composition of a convoy."

Scott-Fords
trial, in camera, took place at the Old Bailey before Mr. Justice Birkett
on 16 October 1942. Sergeant Hackney, Detective Cunliffe and Detective-Sergeant
Brown all gave evidence at Scott-Fords trial. Sub-Lieutenant Wilfred
Wood, RNVR, from the Intelligence Division, Admiralty, testified that
the information collected by Scott-Ford would prove extremely useful to
the enemy.

Scott-Ford
was found guilty at his trial, and was sentenced to death. He was then
transferred from Brixton to Wandsworth Prison, to await his execution
by hanging. Scott-Ford did not appeal his conviction to the Court of Criminal
Appeal.

While at
Wandsworth Prison, Scott-Ford was examined by a Medical Inquiry board
set up by the Home Secretary, under Section 2(4) of the Criminal Lunatics
Act 1884. The two board members were Dr. W.N. East, who was a former Medical
Commissioner of His Majestys Prisons, and Dr. J.S. Hopwood, who
was the Medical Superintendent of Broadmoor Asylum. On 31 October 1942,
Herbert Morrison reported that he was unable to find any ground to recommend
a reprieve.

The Execution

Scott-Fords
executioner and his assistant, Albert Pierrepoint and Harry Kirk respectively,
arrived at Wandsworth Prison on 2 November 1942. Scott-Fords height
and weight were measured: 132 lbs and 5 feet 5 inches. These details were
passed to Pierrepoint, who after viewing Scott-Ford without his knowledge,
assessed that Scott-Ford would require a drop of 8 feet 5 inches at his
execution.

On the following
day, 3 November 1942, the day appointed by the Prison Commissioners for
his execution, Scott-Ford was woken up. At a few seconds to 9am, Pierrepoint
entered the condemned cell and bound Scott-Fords arms behind his
back. Scott-Ford was then walked into the execution chamber. Once he was
placed on the trap-doors, Pierrepoint placed a white hood over Scott-Fords
head, followed by the noose. While this was taking place, Kirk has quickly
bound Scott-Fords legs. Pierrepoint then released the safety catch,
and pulled the release lever for the trap-doors.

One hour
later, Scott-Fords body was taken down by the Executioner and prepared
for the afternoons post mortem and inquest. The post mortem showed
that Scott-Fords spinal cord had been dislocated between the 4th
and 5th cervical vertebrae, with the cord crush with a separation of just
over one inch. The inquest jury returned a verdict of "Injury to
the brain and spinal cord consequent upon judicial hanging". As with
all executed criminals, Scott-Ford was buried in the prison graveyard
that afternoon (Grave 76).

After the
execution

On the following
day, the Home Office announcement of Scott-Fords trial and execution
appeared in the papers. The details of the trial and execution did not
appear until after his execution for security reasons. "The
Times" newspaper ended its day's report by reminding British
and Allied seamen to be very careful about strangers approaching them
in neutral ports for information.

Scott-Ford
was the youngest person to be executed under the Treachery Act 1940. He
was also the only person sentenced to death and later executed under this
Act, not to appeal his conviction to the Court of Criminal Appeal.